Compiling Module Textures vs Putting Them in Override

[LDR 231]

So apparently you could compile the textures, models, and lightmaps with a custom module. Opinions?

 

Is it more practical to compile them with everything so that the override folder is less cluttered? How does it affect game performance when it comes to loading everything? What are your preferences and which is the better method to use? I'm curious.

[Fair Strides 503]

In my experience, it works out great for reducing clutter and helps cluster relevant files together. The only issue is that the game needs to load the files from the module itself. From what I've seen, this is only apparent in regards to the loading screen, so it'd be best to leave that texture in the Override folder.

 

When it needs to find the loading screen, the game will display the default one until it has had time to pull the real one from the level.

[Hassat Hunter 571]

Depends on what you need. Custom camera's are usually best put in Override. Several camera issues in M4-78EP 1.2 where caused by Zbyl putting my custom cams in the module rather than the override.

[JCarter426 1,194]

For most things it's not going to make a difference. On the Xbox, lightmaps, area models, etc are actually module files rather than BIFs anyway. And if it was fine on a 2002 Xbox then it should be ok on today's computers. I've done it and noticed no discernible difference. So the organizational benefits may make it worth it for you.

 

The catch is it only works in that module. So if you want to use an asset in multiple modules, you'll have to duplicate it - which is less efficient, especially for textures.

[Kexikus 990]

It also makes mod compability issues harder to detect. When simply placing them in the Override, you immediately see if there's a conflict but if some mods put them in modules and others don't, it'll be harder to find any issues.

 

On the plus side, having textures in a module allows you to use different retextures of the same texture across different modules without having to hex edit models, simply because those from a .mod file are only loaded in that one module.

[Malkior 469]

 

 

On the plus side, having textures in a module allows you to use different retextures of the same texture across different modules without having to hex edit models, simply because those from a .mod file are only loaded in that one module.

 

Since TSL is notorious for reusing random textures in equally random places, this sounds like an amazing opportunity to me. We could, say change the Telos vidscreen without affecting the Mandalorian Compound monitors, or possibly we could even to have unique textures for each level instead of Peragus and Ebon Hawk textures strewn throughout the game.